A strong emphasis on good, helpful communication can carve out a place of respect for the small business. Courtesy calling is a nice way to remind customers of upcoming appointments, check on the arrival of a replacement product or verify that a payment was received. However, it is important that the courtesy call be made the correct way. Customers don't like receiving unsolicited sales calls, especially if they already do business with the company but a courtesy call is acceptable. Shore up important business relationships by adding this helpful service to your customer care procedures.

1. Make the courtesy call from a moderately quiet area using a company phone. Insure good call quality by verifying that you have good signal if calling from a company cell phone.

2. Dial the number and wait for the party to answer. Wait for the client to say, "Hello" then speak. Identify yourself and the company you represent. For example, you should say, "Good morning/afternoon, this is Natalie Smith calling from Widget Corporation."

3. Verify that you are speaking to the correct party. Say, "May I speak to Mr. Smith?" If the answering party hesitates say, "This is a courtesy call and it will only take a minute." Wait for the party to come on the line or ask for a good call back time.

4. Provide the service by giving or requesting the required information. Be polite and helpful during the call. Keep the call brief and succinct. The courtesy call should always be a method of communication that helps the customer in some way.

5. Thank the customer for his time and remind him of how he can contact you if he has further questions.

Tips

Speak clearly and enunciate during the call.

Make the call when you have the time to carry out any extra troubleshooting.

About the Author

As a former senior sales director with Mary Kay and the co-owner of a renovation company, Monica Patrick has firsthand knowledge of small business operations. Besides start ups, she has extensive skills in recruiting, selling, leadership, makeup artistry and skin care.